Wednesday Whimsy - The Valentine Cat!

The Valentine Cat 

Kathy here: Five years ago my youngest son left home for military training. He was the last to leave the “nest”. After being a stay-at-home mom for many years, our house seemed awfully quiet. Two different people, my sister and a dear friend of mine, kept telling me I needed a cat to keep me company! While I enjoyed being around my sister’s cats, I was married to a card-carrying member of the Cat Haters Society. Well, okay, Jack wasn’t that bad, but he didn’t think cats were absolutely adorable the way I do. After telling my husband how badly I wanted a small dog or a cat—the decision was his, he decided a cat would be less work and we went to the local PetSmart where they host Last Chance Rescue. We went during the Valentine’s Day weekend. 

Here’s Lily’s alleged side of the story:

I had been waiting awhile to pick my humans. Being the runt I had to toughen up and not get pushed around by other cats. Consequently, there’s no love lost between me and my feline brothers and sisters.

What was that I heard them say to Doris*, one of the cat rescue ladies I was staying with? Mom looked so sad, actually rather pathetic, when she said she was looking for a lap cat. I licked my paws pretending not to listen. When I casually glanced at Mom, her eyes said, “I am looking for a gray tabby.” I could just tell from the way she studied me and the big old lug of a male cat in the cage next to mine. He was a gray tabby too. Besides, there is nothing quite so adorable as a gray tabby!

Me, relaxing up north, on vacation.

She asked to see me! When we went into the little “get acquainted” space, I ran over to one of the cat cages, stood on my hind legs and hissed for good measure. After that I was content to jump up on my mom-to-be’s lap first and then carefully charm the cat hater by placing my front paws on his lap. I could tell right then and there I had won her heart. His would take a little longer.

Just to seal the deal, when I was put back in my cage, a little girl was watching me, so I turned sad green eyes on her and she stared at me for a minute. Mom had that panic-stricken look as she observed our exchange. I was sure that I saw her lip quiver. No doubt she would be back next weekend for me. To my surprise, she called Doris that night and asked if she could bring me home the next day! Sure enough, that Sunday, her and Dad came to get me.

Me with one of my friends. "What's that, you say?"

When I arrived at my new home I took in the strange new smells. It smelled like people instead of cats! Mom took the pet carrier into the laundry room. She let me out and showed me the litter box. Ugh! Like I wouldn’t have found the sandbox eventually! Anyway, I squirmed out of her arms and hid behind the washing machine. She went in the other room and left me alone. I meowed. It was a big new world out there. Finally, I came out into the family room to say a tentative “hello”.  I wandered around, inspecting one room and then the next. To my surprise I made a most wonderful discovery. There were no other cats! I had just come from a house where I had lived with two-dozen others. (And they say cats can’t count.) Mom insists I was so happy I purred for nine days straight.

Would you believe I get
cranky sometimes?

Since then I’ve even managed to earn great affection from Jack and I have both of my humans quite well trained, though they often have to be reminded to fetch my treats or canned food at a specific time. They also take very good care of my house and make sure I have lots of toys to hoard and ignore as well as soft spots to sleep on. The big guy even puts bird feed out in the feeder, so I have birds to watch during the day. I guess I didn’t do such a bad job picking out my adopted mom and dad that fateful Valentine’s Day weekend five years ago.

Next month I will have to share the story of why they call me the "Tailless Wonder", or as I like to call it a “Tail of Woe” . . . or perhaps, “A Tale of No Tail”. Stay tuned!

*Not real name.

Time for a snooze.